


You’re not on your own.

by Sweet_Osmanthus



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 09:46:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30104040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweet_Osmanthus/pseuds/Sweet_Osmanthus
Summary: “Some say Eponine wants the best for her love, so she helps Marius meet Cosette, some say she’s foolish for loving someone who is blind, and some say that, she’s afraid of ruining their friendship so she doesn’t dare tell Marius.”“And what’s your opinion?”“I think they’re probably all true.”
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Comments: 4
Kudos: 41





	You’re not on your own.

**Author's Note:**

> I watched Les Misérables three days in a row, and for two days my youtube was full of songs of Les Misérables. That’s why I wrote this work.

“What are you watching?” Jaime emerged from his room one weekend afternoon and found Brienne sitting on the coach of their shared flat, alone. “And where are others?” He walked to the kitchenette to make himself some coffee.

“Movie. They went shopping, along with Renly’s boyfriend and Sansa’s girlfriend.” Brienne’s voice coming from the living room mingled with the music of whatever movie she was watching.

With his mug full of coffee, Jaime came back to the living room. He sat down beside Brienne, “You didn’t go with them.”

“Didn’t feel like to.” Brienne mumbled, she had her eyes glued on the television, she didn’t notice Jaime turning his head staring at her.

Jaime would like to ask more, he had many questions but before he said any of them, something caught his attention. He turned to the television.

“ _Les Misérables_?” The young girl playing Cosette was singing _Castle on a Cloud_.

Brienne nodded.

“I don’t know you like opera—”

Brienne cut him off, “It’s not an _opera_ , it’s a _musical_. They’re different, besides, this is actually a movie version…”

Jaime held up his hands in surrender, “Okay, okay. Musical it is. The point is, we’ve known each other for three years, why before this moment I have no idea you like _musical_?”

Brienne shrugged, “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, it’s just one of them. If it makes you feel better, I don’t think I know you very well, either.”

“I—”

Brienne raised her hand to stop Jaime keep on talking. “Later, please. I quite like this song.” Said song was _Master of the House_.

Jaime was quiet the moment when he saw Brienne’s hand raised. She held it between them, he could see the veins beneath her pale skin, and he was suddenly reminded he’d once touched there. With his lips.

There was a reason why he chose not to use the verb “kiss”, because at that time it didn’t feel like that. They were engaged in a heated debate which the topic he’d long forgotten, and he kept interrupting Brienne, finally Brienne had had enough and put her hand over his mouth so that she could speak without his interruption. It was not romantic in any possible way, so no, he’d not say he’d kissed her palm.

Now the same hand hovered in the air, inches away from his shoulder. Jaime wondered how would Brienne react if he held her hand or…touched it again?

_Her hand looks…pretty, slender, but not bony thin, pale, but not sickening white, dotted with cute freckles…_

“What did you want to say?” Brienne’s voice startled him.

“What—Oh. Nothing. Just…” Jaime averted his eyes, it seemed impolite to let his sight follow Brienne’s hand, which had retreated to rest on her thigh. “I wonder which song you like the most.”

“Oh.”

“Well?” He took a sip of his coffee.

“It’s hard to decide, I like many of them. It depends on the mood.”

“Then how about your favorite character?”

“I…I don’t have one.”

“Are you sure?” Her face told him she lied.

“Why do you care?” Brienne retorted, her flush painted her face rosy pink, “And how about you? What’s your favorite?”

Jaime never thought his questions would backfire…alright, maybe he knew at some point it’d happen, Brienne always thought he was annoying.

“Me? Let me think.” He tapped his chin, “There was a time I’d sing _Castle on a Cloud_ when I was alone…”

Brienne turned around abruptly, “What?! _Castle on a Cloud_? You?”

“Hey! What’s wrong with me singing that song?” Jaime snapped, he knew he sounded defensive, but he would not let others judge his choice of a song, not even Brienne.

Seeing his reaction Brienne knew she had crossed a line, she immediately apologized. “Sorry, I’m just surprised, there’s nothing wrong. It’s simply not a song most men would like—”

“I told you I’m not like most men.” Jaime huffed.

They fell into an awkward silence after that, at the same time in the television Javert was singing _Stars_.

Jaime found his voice first, though barely audible when the chore of _Look down_ played loudly in the background, “It’s the second part, you know my mother died early. That was where I felt Cosette’s experience resonated with me, in our dreams we could find our mothers.”

“…I’m sorry, Jaime.” Her voice was warm, just like the hand she placed on his knee.

He inhaled deeply, “It’s alright, not that I could keep singing it after my voice changed.” He touched her hand, felt it trembled slightly under his. He gave it a squeeze before letting go.

“Ah, this one, this one I remember.” He switched to a lighter tone when he saw the tavern scene, “During my high school time, _Red & Black_ was my favorite. I once sang it on Addam’s birthday party after he admitted he had a secret crush on a girl. And guess what, everyone sang with me, that truly was fun.”

“You boys were terrible.” Brienne said, but there was laugher in her voice.

“That’s what buddies are for, teasing.” He cleared his throat, “Now listen.

“I am agog!

I am aghast!

Is Marius in love at last?

I've never heard him ooh and aah

You talk of battles to be won

And here he comes like Don Juan

It is better than an opera!”

Brienne burst into laughter when he finished that last line. “Oh my God! I should have recorded that!”

“Not a chance.” He picked up his mug, hiding his grin behind it. “I haven’t sung that for years, I’m certain I was out of tune.” Brienne shook her head at that, smiling without trying to hide her teeth.

“Wait a moment, I figure we keep talking about me. It’s not fair! You must share something.”

“What? I didn’t ask you, you shared the second song without me asking…”

“Come on, tell me something, or perhaps you’d like to sing a little bit?” Jaime nudged her shoulder with his, “Or how about this, you tell me who is your favorite character—”

“I told you—”

“That’s a lie.” He deadpanned, “And don’t think I can’t tell, you’re a terrible liar.”

“Why are you so persistent?”

Why indeed? Since when did he become interested in her? Jaime asked himself but no answer came forth. He looked away from her. Then he saw…

“Don’t you think Marius is brave?” He knew that was a sorry attempt to change the subject, but he did that anyway. “Just one look at Cosette then he was head over heels in love with her. He didn’t even know her name.”

Instead of a reply, he heard Brienne snorting at that.

“Brienne?”

In the television Marius and Cosette exchanged their names, “I never like Marius. Not that I hate him, just, don’t like him.”

“Why?” Jaime asked, but no words came out of Brienne. He tried to guess, but didn’t understand until he heard Eponine’s voice, it was interspersed among the two love birds’ profession of love.

“ _He was never mine to lose._

_Why regret what cannot be?_

_These are words he'll never say, not to me._

_Not to me, not for me._ ”

Gods above, now that was obvious. Why she didn’t want to talk about her favorites, it could mean too much.

Jaime chose his words carefully, “You feel related to Eponine.”

She admitted with a single nod. Moments later she said, “Both her story and her songs are very…realistic.”

Jaime felt a dull ache in his heart upon hearing her words. If she felt related to Eponine, then the person of her heart must have chosen someone else over her, which meant it could only be Renly.

“Some say Eponine wants the best for her love, so she helps Marius meet Cosette, some say she’s foolish for loving someone who is blind, and some say that, she’s afraid of ruining their friendship so she doesn’t dare tell Marius.” Brienne whispered, her eyes fixed on the movie.

“And what’s your opinion?”

“I think they’re probably all true.”

They watched in silent as Eponine walking alone in the rain, her singing voice the only sound in the living room.

“And you?” Jaime asked when _On my own_ ended, “Will you be content to…always loving someone who is blind to your devotion? Do you think he deserves you? Is Renly worth your love?”

He didn’t intent to say that last sentence, but now it was out, there was no way to take it back. He didn’t mean to be so harsh either, but…well, that couldn’t be fixed, too.

“What does it have to do with Renly?” Creases lined her forehead.

“Is he not the _blind, stupid Marius_ to you?” He challenged her.

“…I don’t remember saying Renly is the Marius in my life.” She said in a very slow pace, and paused before adding a whisper, “Though my Marius is indeed a blind idiot.”

_Not Renly? But who else can it be? I see her on every day basis and I don’t recall she has other close male friends. Besides, she always hangs out with us, how is it possible she meets someone but I’m not aware...Wait. Can it—Holy Seven, you must be kidding me…_

“And now you think I’m joking. Good, I should have known—”

“Brienne.” Jaime grasped her hand, “If Renly is not your Marius, have you ever thought that, maybe you don’t have to be Marius’s Eponine?” Jaime stared at Brienne intently, “Have you ever thought that, maybe you can be his Cosette? And maybe,” He paused, “You’re not on your own.”


End file.
